Rear gun sight



33-257. XR 391610959 SR Dec. 22, 1964 5 J, w u 3,161,959

REAR GUN SIGHT T1211.

Filed Dec. 5, 1961 INVENTOR Z/YIVEL J W18? 0 1 1 United States Patent O This invention relates to a rear gun sight of the type which is detachably connected to a support on the top of a firearm such as a rifle, by which the sight may be adjusted for windage and range, and which sight may be adjusted for different light conditions existing at the time of firing of the rifle.

Objects of the invention are to provide a simple, practical, effective, and accurate rear sight for rifles and other guns useful for target practice or shooting, which may be quickly and easily adjusted to enable maximum accuracy in sighting under varying light conditions, and to eliminate the annoyance and inaccuracy caused by glare in strong lights, which may be bodily adjusted for range and windage, which provides for maximum accuracy in sighting for firing, with which the adjustments are simple, which may be applied to most or all of the rear sight sup ports that are commonly used on rifles and the like, which is strong, durable, and well protected against entry of foreignmatter that might interfere with its use, which is easily cleaned if foreign matter should get into the line of sight, and whichis relatively inexpensive.

Other objects and advantages will appear from. the following disclosure of one example of the invention, and the novel features will be particularly pointed out in connection with the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

FIG. 1 is a plan in full size of a commonly used rear sight support to which is attached a rear sight embodying my lnvention, with their relation to the gun proper shown by dash lines;

FIG. 2 is a plan, partly in section, of the improved s ght, on a scale about three times greater than its normal 5126;

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevation of a part of the sight, with the section taken approximately along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2, and on a scale of about six times its normal size;

FIG. 4 is a face end elevation of the sight on a scale about twice its normal size, with the smallest sight bore in position for use;

FIG. 5 is a face elevation of the same on the same scale, but with a sight bore of intermediate size in position for use; and

FIG. 6 is also a similar face elevation of the same, with the largest sight bore in position for use.

In the illustrated example of the invention, the part of a rifle to which such a rear sight may be attached is identified by the dash lines 1, which is the part of the rillc where the rear sight is commonly mounted. Such rifl s may have on one side thereof, such as on the left side as shown, a bar or rib 2 over which an elongated member 3 is detnchably confined such as by a screw 4, and winch when the screw 4 is loosened may have a limited range of adjustment in a direction forwardly and renrwardly of the rifle. The rear end of the member 3 mounts a br dge 5 that extends partly over the top of the rifle in a direction crosswise of the length of the rifle. This bridge at its free end has an upstanding ear 6 in which is rotatnb ly confined a screw 7 with a knurled button handle 8 at llS outer end. The bridge has a slot 9 along the screw to enable the screw to be placed close to the main body of the bridge and to provide a sliding support-for a nut. The bridge 5 is mounted on the member 3 for vertical adjustment therein by operation of the screw [0 operating similarly to screw 7. A nut 11 is slidingly confined Ill I slot 9 and extends as a boss justabove the bridge 5. This or disconnected from the nut 11.

diametrically of the body, which Patented Dec. 22, 1964 boss has a forward plate-like extension 12 which moves in a direction from side to side of the rifle and it carries on its upper face a reference mark 13. The bridge also carries along the edge of the extension 12 a thin plate 14 with scale markings 15 on its upper face that cooperate with the movable reference mark 13 to indicate the position of the reference mark 13 of the nut 11 in its side to side adjustment. The boss on the top of the nut 11 has a threaded aperture therethrough in a direction lengthwise of the rifle, and a suitable rear sight 16 has a threaded stem which is threaded into this nut to move therewith and be supported thereby. By turning the handle 8 of screw 7, the nut 11 and the sight 16 may be shifted sidewise to compensate for the effects of winds on the bullet fired, and by turning the screw 10 the bridge with the sight may also be adjusted up and down to compensate for range, since the inclination of the rifle above the center ofthe target must be varied with varying distances of the rifle from the target, since the path or trajecto'ry'of the fired bullet is affected by gravity acting on the bullet. The inclination of the rifle must be greater with the greater distance from the rifle to the target. This mounting for a rear sight 16, which provides for adjustment for windage and range, as illustrated is an example of a typical or commonly used support for the sight 16.-

My invention is in which may be attached to and detached from most, if not all, of the currently used rear sight supports. My improved sight 16 employs a cylindrical body 17 having a reduced diameter extension 18, axially on one end thereof, which extension is externally threaded and of a size to be threaded into the threaded passage of the nut 11. The body 17 has a sight passage 19 progressing axially from end face to end face, and which is concentric with and extends through the reduced threaded end 18. The end 20 of the body which is opposite from the reduced end, and which may be called the rear or observing face has a flange 21 with a knurled periphery by which the sight may be grasped and turned while it is being connected to It also provides a light barrier so that when the eye of the user is positioned close to the sight face 20, the face 20 is large enough to shield the eye and prevent a large amount of external light from directly reaching the users eye and interfere with the light reaching the eye through the sight passage 19.

The body 17 has a bearing passage 22 therethrough from side to side, circular in cross-section and extending passage intersects the sight passage 19, with the axes of the passages 19 and 22 intersecting. A control member 23 has a cylindrical shank 24 which fits and is rotatable in the bearing passage 22. This member 23 has a peripherally knurled head 25 externally of body 17 by which the member may be rotated. It also has a plurality of sight bores 26 extending diametrically through it in alignment with the sight passage 19 and with the axes of such sight bores in a common plane which also includes in it the axis of the sight passage 19. The passage 19 is uniform in diameter, and continuous, unbroken and straight from end to end, except as intersected by the bearing passage 22, and each of the sight bores 26 is also uniform in diameter, unbroken, continuous and straight from end to end except as intersected by the other sight bores. The balance of the shank 24, at least where it crosses the passage 19, is solid and rigid between the bores. By the term solid" I mean that it is substantially'filled with rigid matter and; without any internal open cavities of substantial size except for the bores, so that the walls of each sight bore will be straight and continuously of uniform diameter the particular sight 16 as shown,

in diameter from end to end. The sight bores 26 are of different diameters, and for example, are three in number, with the smaller bore having a cross-sectional diam- 4 eter of inch, an intermediate bore having a cross-section diameter of inch, and a larger bore having a cross-sectional diameter of 35 inch. .The sight passage 19 may have a cross-sectional diameter of inch and should always be as large in diameter as or larger than the diameter of the largest sight bore in the control member. When the control member 23 is rotated through angular increments the sight bores 26 will be brought in succession into alignment with the sight passage 19, one

of such alignment positions being shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. The alignment of the smallest sight bore 26 with sight passage 19 is illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4, the alignment of the intermediate diameter sight bore 26 with sight passage19 is shown in FIG. 5, and the alignment of the largest sight bore 26 with the sight passage is shown in FIG. 6. t

In order to yieldingly hold the control member 23 in the different angular positions where they are in alignment with the sight passage 19, the periphery of the shank 24 of the control member is provided with depressions 27 arranged angularly about the axis of rotation of the shank 24. The body 17, in its end opposite from face 20,

' is provided at one side of the reduced end 18 with a passage 28 that extends in a direction endwise of the body until it intersects with the bearing bore 22, with its axis, if extended, intersecting the axis of the bearing bore 22. In this passage is confined a ball detent 29 of a size to enter, at least partially, into the depressions 27 in succession as the sight bores 26 are successively brought into alignment with the sight passage 19. A nut 30 is threaded into the outer end of the passage 23, and a helical spring 31 in passage 28 is compressed by the nut 30 against the ball detent 29, so that the spring will yieldingly and resiliently hold the ball detent in the different depressions corresponding to the angular positions in which the sight bores 26 are in alignment with the sight passage 19.

Each of the sight bores 26 should have a length at least several times greater than its diameter, and the largest of the sight bores 26 should have a length greater than at least twice its diameter and preferably nearly three times greater than its diameter. It is important that the sight bores have substantial length, because the sight bores should be as small in diameter as possible and still be able to clearly see a target therethrough for the sake of accuracy. When the light is bright, the smallest diameter of sight bore 26 is used in alignment with the sight passage 19, and when it is a dull day or at night the sight bore of largest diameter is used in alignment with sight passage 19. When the day is cloudy and the light moderate, the sight bore 26 of intermediate diameter is used in alignment with the sight passage 19. The lengths of the sight bores 26 should be long enough to reduce light glare from light leaving areas away from this target and entering the sight passage, and by its effect on the eye interfering with the clearest vision or sighting on the target, while using the sight bore best for the existing light condition. The longer each sight bore 26 the less trouble with glare from areas away from the target. While one may use only two sight bores 26 or more than three, depending upon personal desires, l have found that three sight bores 26 give very sat|sfactory results. One may also, if desired, coat the surfaces of the sight bores 26, and of the sight passage l 9, with a material which reduces the reflection of light in order not to reflect light from areas away from the target, but I have found that such coatings do not appear to be ordinarily essential, but only optional. it will be noted that the construction of the sight protects toa maximum extent against the entry of foreign matter into the sight passage and bores, and the parts may be easily taken apart for cleaning it any foreign matter should get into the sight passage and sight-bores.

The improved sight 16 may be attached to any sight mounting, such as one which provides for limited movements to correct for windage and range, and the reduced threaded end is used for attachment to a large number of sight mountings in common use. For other sight mountings the body- 17 is modified to fit them with the sight passage in the position employed for other sights.

It will be understood that various changes in the details, materials, and arrangements of parts, which have been herein described and illustrated as one example of the invention in order to explain the nature of the invention, may be made by those skilled in the art within the principle and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims. I

I claim:

1. A rear gun sight for mounting on a, rifle for use in aligning a front sight with a small target area, comprising a body having one sight passage therethrough from side to side, andanother and cylindrical bearing passage therethrough at right angles to said one passage, with the axes of said passages intersecting one another, a member having a cylindrical shank thereof rotatable in and fitting said another passage and extending outwardly of said body at one end where it terminates exteriorly of said body in an operating element, the portion of said shank which crosses said one passage, having a plurality of intersecting bores of different diameters arranged in different angular relations to one another about the axis of said" shank, all extending diametrically through the shank with their axes intersecting one another and with the axes of both of said passages, each bore being straight and of uniform cross-sectional area from end to end, and in both directions from its intersection with the other bores, the balance of said shank between said sight bores being solid and rigid, and means acting between said body and said shank for yieldingly holding said shank in each of its rotative positions in which a bore is in axial alignment with said one passage.

2. The rear gun sight according to claim 1, wherein none of said bores has a diameter exceeding the diameter of said one passage. 1

3. A rear gun sight for mounting on a rifle for use in aligning a front sight with a small target area, comprising a block of non-transparent material having a sight passage therethrough and also a cylindrical bearing passage therethrough crosswise of said sight passage, with the axes of said passages intersecting one another at right angles, a control member having a cylindrical shank rotatable in and filling said bearing passage and at one end terminating exteriorly of said block in an operating element, said shank, intermediate of its ends, having a plurality of sight bores of different crosswise dimensions extending diametrically of said shank and having their axes intersecting with one another, with the axis of said bearing passage, and with the axis of said sight passage, all at a common intersection, whereby rotation of said control member will bring said sight bores in succession into axial alignment with said sight passage, none of said sight bores having a diameter exceeding the diameter of said sight passage, but all having a length in excess of twice its diameter, said sight passage and all of said sight bores being defined by walls that are straight, continuous and unbroken in both axial directions of each from their intersections, and each sight bore and said sight passage having a uniform diameter from said intersections to their ends, the rearend face area of said block surrounding said sight passage being unbroken and exceeding four times the face area'of the opening of the rear end of said sight passage, and means coacting between the said shank and said block for yieldingly holding said shank in each of its different rotative positions in which a sight bore is in axial alignment with the sight passage.

4. A rear gun sight for mounting on a rifle for use in aligning a front sight with a small target area, which comprises a block of non-transparent material having a sight passage therethrough and also a cylindrical bearing passage therethrough in a direction crosswise of an axially intersecting with said sight passage, a cylindrical control member rotatable in and fitting said bearing passage, said member having diametrically therethrough a plurality of sight bores of different diameters having their bore axes in a common plane in which lies the axis of the sight passage, the sight bores making different angles to one another about the longitudinal axis of rotation of said control member, whereby rotation of said control member will bring the said sight bores thereof individually and in succession into positions of axial alignment with the said sight passage, each sight bore in both directions from its intersection with the other sight bores being defined for its full length by a continuously straight, cylindrical wall of the same uniform diameter, the balance of said shank between said sight bores being solid and rigid, and means by which said control member may be held yieldingly in each of said alignment positions.

5. The rear sight according to claim 4, wherein the crosswise diameters of each of said sight bores do not exceed the crosswise diameter of said sightpassage.

6. A rear gun sight for mounting on a rifle for use in aligning a front sight with a small target area, which comprises a block of non-transparent material having a sight passage therethrough and also a cylindrical bearing passage therethrough in a direction crosswise of and axially intersecting with said sight passage, a cylindrical control member rotatable in and fitting said bearing passage, said member having diametrically therethrough a plurality of sight bores of different diameters having their bore axes in a common plane in which lies the axis of the sight passage, the sight bores making different angles to one another about the longitudinal axis of rotation of said control member, whereby rotation of said control member will bring the said sight bores thereof individually and in succession into positions of axial alignment with the said sight passage, each sight bore, in each axial direction from their common intersection, and said sight passage in each axial direction from its bearing passage, being defined by a cylindrical wall that is straight, continuous, unbroken, and of uniform diameter for substantially the full axial length of the wall, and means by which said control member may be held yieldingly in each of said alignment positions wherein the sight bores in said control member have axial lengths greater than twice their crosswise diameter.

7. A rear gun sight for attachment to the gunstock of a rifie for use in aligning a front sight with a small target area, of the type having a sight mounting formed for attachment to said gun stock and including an element adjustable thereon from side to side f9 r windagc correction and toward and from the gun stock for range setting, where said element has a threaded passage therethrough in a direction lengthwise of the gun Sight in which a rear gun sight may be detachably mounted, said gun sight comprising a cylindrical block with a reduced threaded end of a size for threading into said threaded passage of said element and forming the support of said block. said block having a sight passage therethrough from end face to end face, through said reduced end, and with the axes of said reduced end and said sight passage coincident, and also having a cylindrical bearing cavity therein extending in a direction crosswise of and intersectin s id sight passage, :1 control member with a cylindrical shank rotatable in and fitting said bearing cavity and having a plurality of sight bores diametrically thercthrough, of different sizes, and intersecting one another with their axes and the axis of said sight passage in said block all in a common plane that is transverse to the axis of said bearing cavity, each sight bore in both directions from its intersection with the other sight bores being defined by a cylindrical wall that is uniform in diameter and straight and continuous from end to end, and the body of said shank between said bores being rigid and solid, means carried by said block and engaging with said shank of said control member for yieldingly holding said control member in each of its rotative positions in which a sight bore is aligned with said sight passage.

8. A rear gun sight for attachment to a rifle for use in aligning a front sight with a small target area, comprising a block having a reduced, externally threaded boss provided centrally on one end thereof, a sight passage from end to end therethrough and through said boss axially thereof, and a cylindrical bearing cavity therein extending from one side thereof toward the other side and intersecting said sight passage with the longitudinal axes of said bearing passage and of said sight passage intersecting one another, a solid control member rotatably fitting said bearing passage and having a plurality of sight bores of different diameter extending diametrically therethrough and intersecting one another, with the axes of all of said sight bores and of said sight passage in a common plane that is transverse to the axis of rotation of said member, none of said sight bores exceeding the diameter of said sight passage, each sight bore, in both directions from its intersections with the other sight bores and said sight passage in each direction from its bearing passage, being defined by a cylindrical wall that is straight, continuous, unbroken, and of uniform diameter for substantially the full axial length of the wall, and means carried by said block and coacting with said member for yieldingly holding said control member in each of its rotative positions in which a sight bore is aligned with said sight passage.

9. The rear gun sight according to claim 8, wherein the crosswise diameters of each of said sight bores do not exceed the smallest diameter of said sight passage.

10. The rear gun sight according to claim 8, in which the rear end face of said block has a face area exceeding four times the face area of the opening of the rear end of said sight passage.

11. A rear gun sight for attachment to a rifle for use in aligning a front sight with a small target area, comprising a block having a reduced, externally threaded boss provided centrally on one end thereof, a sight passage from end to end therethrough and through said boss axially thereof, and a cylindrical bearing cavity therein extending from one side thereof toward the other side and intersecting said sight passage with the longitudinal axes of said bearing passage and of said sight passage intersecting one another, a solid control member rotatably fitting said bearing passage and having a plurality of sight bores of different diameters extending diametrically therethrough and intersecting one another, with the axes of all of said sight bores and of said sight passage in a common plane that is transverse to the axis of rotation of said member, none of said sight bores exceeding the diameter of said sight passage, each sight bore, in each axial direction from their common intersection, and said sight passage in each axial direction from its bearing passage, being defined by a cylindrical wall that is straight, continuous, unbroken, and of uniform diameter for substantially the full axial length of the wall, and means carried by said block and coacting with said member for yieldingly holding said control member in each of its rotative positions in which a sight bore is aligned with said sight passage, wherein the axial length of each sight bore is greater than twice its diameter. v

12. A rear gun sight for attachment to a rifle for use in aligning a front sight with a small target area, comprising a block having a reduced, externally threaded boss provided centrally on one end thereof, a sight passage from end to end therethrough and through said boss axially thereof, and a cylindrical bearing cavity therein extending from one side thereof toward the other side and intersecting said sight passage with the longitudinal axes of said bearing passage and of said sight passage intersecting one another, a solid control member rotatably fitting said bearing passage and having a plurality of sight bores of different diameters extending diametrically therethrough and intersecting one another, with the axes of all of said sight bores and of said sight passage in a common plane that is transverse to the axis of rotation of said member, none of said sight bores exceeding the diameter of said sight passage, each sight bore, in each axial direction from their common intersection, and said sight passage in each axial direction from its bearing passage, being defined by a cylindrical wall that is straight, continuous, unbroken, and of uniform diameter for substantially the full axial length of the wall, and means carried by said block and coacting with said member for yieldingly holding said control member in each of its rotative positions in which a sight bore is aligned with said sight passage, wherein the diameter of each sight bore does not exceed the smallest diameter of said sight passage, and the axial length of each sight bore is greater than twice its diameter.

13. A rear gun sight for attachment to a rifle for use in aligning a front sight with a small target area, comprising a block having a reduced, externally threaded boss provided centrally on one end thereof, a sight passage from end to end therethrough and through said boss axially thereof, and a cylindrical bearing cavity therein extending from one side thereof toward the other side and 30 intersecting said sight passage with the longitudinal axes of said bearing passage and of said sight passage intersecting one another, a solid control member rotatably fitting said bearing passage and having a plurality of sight bores of different diameter extending diametrically therethrough and intersecting one another, with the axes of all of said sight bores and of said sight passage in a common plane that is transverse to the axis of rotation of said member, none of said sight bores exceeding the diameter of said sight passage, each sight bore, in each axial direction from their common intersection, and said sight passage in each axial direction from its bearing passage, being defined by a cylindrical wall that is straight, continuous, unbroken, and of uniform diameter for substantially the full axial length of the wall, and means carried by said block and coacting with said member for yieldably holding said control member in each of its rotative positions in which a sight bore is aligned with said sight passage, wherein the axial length of each said sight bore is at least three times the diameter of that bore.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS ISAAC LISANN, Primary Examiner.

ROBERT L. EVANS,

Examiner. 

1. A REAR GUN SIGHT FOR MOUNTING ON A RIFLE FOR USE IN ALIGNING A FRONT SIGHT WITH A SMALL TARGET AREA, COMPRISING A BODY HAVING ONE SIGHT PASSAGE THERETHROUGH FROM SIDE TO SIDE, AND ANOTHER AND CYLINDRICAL BEARING PASSAGE THERETHROUGH AT RIGHT ANGLES TO SAID ONE PASSAGE, WITH THE AXES OF SAID PASSAGES INTERSECTING ONE ANOTHER, A MEMBER HAVING A CYLINDRICAL SHANK THEREOF ROTATABLE IN AND FITTING SAID ANOTHER PASSAGE AND EXTENDING OUTWARDLY OF SAID BODY AT ONE END WHERE IT TERMINATES EXTERIORLY OF SAID BODY IN AN OPERATING ELEMENT, THE PORTION OF SAID SHANK WHICH CROSSES SAID ONE PASSAGE, HAVING A PLURALITY OF INTERSECTING BORES OF DIFFERENT DIAMETERS ARRANGED IN DIFFERENT ANGULAR RELATIONS TO ONE ANOTHER ABOUT THE AXIS OF SAID SHANK, ALL EXTENDING DIAMETRICALLY THROUGH THE SHANK WITH THEIR AXES INTERSECTING ONE ANOTHER AND WITH THE AXES OF BOTH OF SAID PASSAGES, EACH BORE BEING STRAIGHT AND OF UNIFORM CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA FROM END TO END, AND IN BOTH DIRECTIONS FROM ITS INTERSECTION WITH THE OTHER BORES, THE BALANCE OF SAID SHANK BETWEEN SAID SIGHT BORES BEING SOLID AND RIGID, AND MEANS ACTING BETWEEN SAID BODY AND SAID SHANK FOR YIELDINGLY HOLDING SAID SHANK IN EACH OF ITS ROTATIVE POSITIONS IN WHICH A BORE IS IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID ONE PASSAGE. 